Math is Figure-Out-Able!
Math teacher educator Pam Harris and her cohost Kim Montague answer the question: If not algorithms, then what? Join them for ~15-30 minutes every Tuesday as they cast their vision for mathematics education and give actionable items to help teachers teach math that is Figure-Out-Able. See www.MathisFigureOutAble.com for more great resources!
Episodes
How does a Problem String look in front of real students? In this episode Pam and Kim give a play by play for how a Problem String could be facilitated.
Talking Points:
- When to circulate and when to ask for choral response
- Helping students communicate thinking
- How and when to engage students in conversations
- When to anchor strategies
- When to be intentionally curious to solidify thinking
Check out our grade level Problem...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 25, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, au...
What if finding equivalence between fractions, decimals, and precents wasn't just a task for students to do, but a tool making them more efficient in rational number computations? In this episode Pam and Kim talk about code switching with rational numbers to make complex problems more figure-out-able.
Talking Points:
- What is code switching in rational numbers?
- A Problem String using equivalence to think about multip...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 18, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, au...
Five years of important conversations, lots of laughs and a blooper every once in a while. In this episode Pam and Kim revisit some important moments of the podcast from the last 5 years.
Talking Points:
- Clips from the past 5 years!
- Types of questioning
- Student compliance
- Problem Strings vs Problem Talks
- Math distortions
- Wait time and Private signals
Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam H...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 11, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, au...
How can you get the most out of I Have, You Need in your classroom? In this podcast Pam and Kim answer some common questions and dig deeper into one of their favorite routines, I Have You Need.
Talking Points:
- Do cars speak the language of fractions?
- I Have, You Need (See also Ep 7 and 164)
- Why it is helpful to know partners of 1, 10, 100, 1000, etc.
- Common misconceptions
- Why it is important for the teacher to call the numbers
- Is...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 4, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, aut...
We've got a lot to say about screeners! In this episode Pam and Kim dig a bit more into why we screen and what we do with the results.
Talking Points:
- Are screeners useful for diagnosing and grouping students?
- Are assessments important?
- What would be a helpful way to spend the first few weeks of school with students?
- What to do with required screeners
- Some recommended screeners
Check out our social media
Twitt...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on May 28, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, aut...
Are Universal Screeners worth the time and effort? What do we gain? In this episode Pam and Kim begin their discussion about using Universal Screeners and raise some wonders for consideration.
Talking Points:
- Defining screeners
- Limitations of screeners
- What we screen reveals what we value
- Screeners don't always reflect the content in the classroom
Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: P...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on May 21, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, aut...
Do Problem Strings and Thin Slicing achieve the same results? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss the differences between Problem Strings and Dr. Liljedahl's Thin Slicing.
Talking Points:
- Different purposes, different facilitation
- The importance of recording student thinking
- When non-permanent surfaces can be helpful
- Problem Strings are strategically planned sequences and not always 'easy to more complex'
- Dif...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on May 14, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, aut...
Are Problem Strings the same thing as Thin Slicing? In this episode Pam and Kim talk about the similarities between Problem Strings and Dr. Peter Liljedahl's Thin Slicing.
Talking Points:
- Example Problem String:
- Calling on students strategically in a Problem String
- Strategic seating arrangements for partner talk
- Similarities between Problem Strings and Thin Slicing:
- Purposefully designed sequence of relate...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on May 7, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, auth...
You facilitated a Problem String! ... Now what? In this episode Pam and Kim share they think about after facilitating a Problem String and what their next steps for their classroom might be.
Talking Points:
Ways to up the ante
- Echo strings
- How much to change at once
- Next Step strings
- When to move on
- When to anchor
Get Problem String books here: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/books
Check out our soc...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on April 30, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, a...
You've chosen a Problem String to teach, but does it need any preparation? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss how they prepare to facilitate a Problem String.
Talking Points:
- Is it ok to adjust a pre-written Problem String?
- What should you include in your 'Kim's Notes'?
- What will your final board layout look like?
- Naming specific teacher moves
- Practice using models ahead of time
- Are pre-created models o...
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on April 23, 2025.
Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.
Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, a...
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